Apparatus and method for switching active application

Abstract

An apparatus to switch an application includes an input unit to receive an input for switching a foreground application, the input including an application distinguishing portion associated with an application switching portion, a control unit to determine an application to be run in the foreground among the applications running in a background, the application distinguishing portion corresponding to the application, and an output unit to output the application in a display as the foreground application.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus to switch an application, comprising:
 an input unit to receive an input for switching a foreground application, the input comprising an application distinguishing portion associated with an application switching portion;   a control unit to determine an application to be run in the foreground among the applications running in a background, the application distinguishing portion corresponding to the application; and   an output unit to output the application in a display as the foreground application.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the output unit outputs final views of the applications running in the background on the display in response to the input, and the control unit determines the application being outputted to the display as the application to be run in the foreground if the outputted view is maintained for a period of time or a confirming touch event is s generated through the outputted view. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the input unit comprises:
 a sensor input unit comprising at least one of a camera, a proximity sensor, a terrestrial magnetism sensor, and an acceleration sensor.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising: a touch input unit to receive a touch input as the input, the touch input comprising a touch start location and a touch end location,
 wherein the output unit sequentially outputs one or more background application images in a list according to the application distinguishing portion, and the control unit selects the application corresponding to a distance between the touch start location and the touch end location when the input is released.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the control unit determines the application as the foreground application if a background application image corresponding to the application is outputted when the touch input is released. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit determines the application corresponding to a voice input inputted when a function key is being touched. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit comprises:
 a task managing unit to receive a list of tasks being executed and final view information of the tasks;   a task storing unit to store the list of tasks; and   an event receiving unit to receive an update event signal for the list of tasks if a change in the list of tasks occurs.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the event receiving unit receives at least one of an event signal requesting the list of tasks stored in the task storing unit, an event signal requesting information about a front task among the list of tasks stored in the task storing unit, an event signal requesting information about a last task among the list of tasks stored in the task storing unit, and an event signal requesting information about a task matched to a name of a determined application among the list of tasks stored in the task storing unit. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the input comprises a touch input received in an indicator area of a touch interface or a function key area of the touch interface. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the application switching portion is associated with a multi-touch input, and the application distinguishing portion is associated with a moving direction of the multi-touch input. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the application switching portion is associated with a multi-touch input comprising a first touch on a function key area of a touch interface and a second touch on an application execution view of the display, and the application distinguishing portion is associated with a moving direction of the second touch. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the output unit outputs one or more background application images stored in a list if the application switching portion is determined. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the application switching portion is associated with a multi-touch input comprising a first touch and a second touch on an application execution view of the display, and the application distinguishing portion is associated with a moving direction of the second touch with respect to the first touch while a location of the first touch is maintained. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the application switching portion is associated with a drag touch input from a first touch on a function key area of a touch interface to a second touch on an application execution view of the display, and the application distinguishing portion is associated with a moving distance between the first touch and the second touch. 
     
     
         15 . A method that uses a processor to switch an application, comprising:
 receiving an application switching input for switching a foreground application, the application switching input comprising an application switching portion and an application distinguishing portion contiguous with the application switching portion;   determining one or more background applications stored in an active application list in response to the application switching portion;   determining an application to be run in a foreground among the applications in the active application list, the application distinguishing portion corresponding to the application; and   outputting, using the processor, the application in a display as the foreground application.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 sequentially displaying background application images stored in the active application list according to the application distinguishing portion; and   selecting the application corresponding to a distance between the touch start location and the touch end location when the input is released.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising: determining the application corresponding to a voice input inputted when a function key is being touched. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the application switching input comprises a touch input received in an indicator area of a touch interface or a function key area of the touch interface. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the application switching portion is associated with a multi-touch input, and the application distinguishing portion is associated with a moving direction of the multi-touch input. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the application switching portion is associated with a drag touch input from a first touch on a function key area of a touch interface to a second touch on an application execution view of the display, and the application distinguishing portion is associated with a moving distance between the first touch and the second touch. 
     
     
         21 . A method that uses a processor to switch an application, comprising:
 receiving a request signal requesting switching from an application running in a foreground to one of applications running in a background;   determining whether the request signal is inputted using an input method among a sensor input, a touch input, and a voice input;   determining whether the request signal is an application switching request signal;   determining an application that is to be run in the foreground among the applications running in the background based on the input method and the application switching request signal; and   outputting an application switching operation for switching from the application running in the foreground to the determined application that is to be run in the foreground among the applications running in the background.